NottinghamSt Mary

Bells

The earliest recorded incident with bell connections was that of John Painter
of Nottingham in October 1393 when he made a complaint against Robert de Ayton
who owed him 2s of silver for the painting of a bell of the cross
at the corner of the Church of the Blessed Mary in the town of Nottingham.
In December 1394 Thomas de Downham was sub-clerk and keeper of the ornaments
pertaining to the Church of the Blessed Mary of Nottingham. It was alleged
the same Thomas sold away from the said Church a bell clapper, of the value
of 13s 4d.

An inventory of 1553, at the beginning of the reign of Queen Mary, stated
the church possessed five bells and a Sanctus, a clock and a chime.

Although the main body of the church was completed by the end of the fifteenth
century, it is likely that the tower was not completed until the middle or
end of the reign of Henry VIII. Shortly after its completion, a fierce
storm on 7th July 1558 caused great damage in
Nottingham. Part of the tower is thought to have collapsed into the church,
destroying the stone vaulting underneath. If so, then the bells were almost
certainly damaged and possibly some were destroyed. Church commissioners who
made a visitation in 1559 reported that the Charncell is in gret decaye
and the wyndowes unglased.

Some or all of the bells survived and were repaired. The second bell of the
five was recast in 1589 when ‘Mr Alvie’ was paid £7 10s 8d for
the work. It is probable he was a foreman of Henry Oldfield I, one of
the many founders who cast bells in Nottingham from about 1370 through to 1793.
The Long Row foundry recast the bell again in 1613. The founder was now Henry
Oldfield II, son of the above Henry. The third bell was also recast twice,
the first time in 1590 by Robert Quernbie. Quernbie was a descendent of the
Mellours family whose foundry was probably in ‘Gretsmythgate’.
The life of this bell was short-lived and Henry Oldfield II recast it
in 1605.

Some
of the markings
on the 1595 bell by

Henry Oldfield II

Henry Oldfield II recast the fourth bell in 1595. This bell has survived all
subsequent restoration and is the eleventh of the twelve bells now in existence.
At 20¾ cwt, it is the largest surviving bell by the Oldfield firm. Decoration
covers the shoulder and soundbow, and on the waist it displays the Royal coat
of arms alternating with his own large foundry badge that Oldfield reserved
for important commissions. The bell frame was replaced in 1625 and the tenor
recast in 1637 by another Oldfield at the Long Row foundry, George I,
the son of Henry Oldfield II.

John Crow replaced the 1625 bell frame again in 1699
when the bells were augmented from five to six. The new bell frame was installed
22 feet lower in the tower than the old one. The lower bell frame allowed the
bells to swing full circle to accommodate the new and developing art of ringing
changes. A geometric ringing platform built
in the tower crossing in 1708 shortened the length of rope even more and put
the ringers in full view of the congregation.

The tenor bell became cracked and Thomas Hedderly recast
it in 1757. Hedderly had taken over the Nottingham Long Row foundry from the
Oldfields in 1742. This period saw a spate of restoration work. In 1760 the
bells were augmented to eight by the addition of two smaller bells. A new frame
was built to accommodate the eight bells and, with minor modification, the
frame survived until 1934.

One
of the peal
boards, this dating
from 1761

The coronation of King George III in 1761 was celebrated
by augmenting the bells from eight to ten by the addition of two trebles cast
by Pack & Chapman of Whitechapel, London. The money for these bells was
raised by public subscription.

It is also at around this time that the ringers in
Nottingham formed themselves into the Society
of Sherwood Youths, which society has continued to the present day. The
bells however, were not completely satisfactory; the third, fourth and tenor
went to Lester & Pack in London for recasting. The resultant bells appeared
to be satisfactory and the Society of Sherwood Youths rang a series of long
peals on the bells culminating in 10,260 changes of Grandsire Caters rung in
7 hours 22 minutes on 3rd March 1778. This was
conducted by William Doubleday Crofts, who rang the ninth bell single-handedly
throughout. This series of peals was the result of competition between Leicester
ringers and those of Nottingham in attempting to ring 10,000 changes. Leicester
won with 10,080 changes of Grandsire Caters in February 1777, but the Nottingham
peal was longer. Both sets of ringers were presented with a set of hand
bells.

The geometric ringing platform under the tower crossing was dismantled in
1812 and the ringers returned to the loft above the plaster and oak vaulting.

The Nottingham Review reported on 25th July
1845:

We hear that the treble bell, in the fine peal at St Mary’s
church, was broken on Sunday week, through the unskillful bungling of one of
the ringers.

The bells of St Mary’s did not chime as usual
before divine service last Sunday, in consequence of the contractor for the
repairs going forward having been represented to the vicar that the vibration
of the bells was calculated to injure the works in progress at the piers. The
chiming will consequently not be resumed until the piers of the tower are completed.

Apart from the period of the church restoration in 1843-48, the bells were
used regularly up to 1934. The treble bell was recast twice, in 1852 and again
in 1856.

In 1934, the wooden frame of 1760 was found to be
in a poor state; the main beams were badly affected by death watch beetle.
The stonework was also in a poor state needing urgent restoration. The bells
were removed and nine of them recast by Messrs Gillett & Johnston of
Croydon. The tenor bell now weighs 35¾ cwt (approximately a ton and
three quarters). The ringing chamber was enlarged, the floor relaid in Ferro-concrete,
and a new more compact stairway was constructed leading to the bells. A massive
iron A-frame, supported by steel girders, was erected replacing the wooden
bell frame. The ninth was cleaned and the new ten bells rededicated on 2nd November
1935 at a service attended by more than a hundred ringers from all over the
county.

The
new treble bell

In 1980 it was decided to increase the ring by the addition
of two treble bells. An order was placed with the contractors Eayre
and Smith and the bells were cast by Eijsbouts
of Asten in Holland. The money was raised by the Sherwood Youths and the
St Mary’s ringers and the new bells were dedicated by the Bishop
of Southwell at the Patronal Festival on 2nd February
1981.

Details of the bells:

Inscription

Size

Weight

Treble

EIJSBOUTS ASTENSIS ME FECIT ANNO MCMLXXX

THE SOCIETY OF SHERWOOD YOUTHS GAVE ME
“THEIR SOUND IS GONE FORTH UNTO ALL LANDS”

CANON M.J. JACKSON, VICAR
S. YARNELL AND E. MOTTRAM, CHURCHWARDENS

EAYRE AND SMITH

27.375"

5.3.11

2nd

EIJSBOUTS ASTENSIS ME FECIT ANNO MCMLXXX

THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL GAVE ME
“GOD IS GONE UP WITH A MERRY NOISE”

CANON M.J. JACKSON, VICAR
S. YARNELL AND E. MOTTRAM, CHURCHWARDENS

EAYRE AND SMITH

28.5"

6.0.3

3rd

RECAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON CROYDON 1935

C&G.MEARS FOUNDERS, LONDON
RECAST 1856

J.W.BROOKS

VICAR

W.DEARDEN

CHURCHWARDENS

J.COOPE

29.5"

6.0.22

4th

RECAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON CROYDON 1935

RAISED BY SCROPE BEARDMORE, VICAR,D.D. RICHD LAMBERT
AND JOHN WYER, CHURCHWARDENS
THE HONBLE WM.HOWE & JOHN PLUMTREE ESQRS MEMBERS
FOR THE TOWN SUBSCRIPTION 1761
LESTER & PACK OF LONDON FECIT

I WILL SOUND AND RESOUND UNTO THY PEOPLE, O LORD,
WITH MY SWEET VOICE, AND CALL THEM TO THY WORD,
I TOLE THE TUNE THAT DOULEFUL IS TO SUCH AS LIVE AMISS,
BUT SWEET MY SOUND SEEMS UNTO THEM WHO HOPE FOR JOYFUL BLISS

LESTER & PACK OF LONDON FECIT

58"

35.2.23

The tenor bell is the heaviest and largest ringing bell in the diocese.

The
ringing room

The bells

In addition to the main ring is the Sanctus bell. This measures 18.5",
weights 1.0.20 (cwt.qr.lb). It carries no inscriptions or other marks, but
indications are that it is very old.

Hand Bells

In 2001 an oak wall cabinet for the display and storage of the hand bells
was acquired by the bell ringers with monies from tower projects by the Friends
of St Mary’s.

There are two set of bells in the cabinet. The older set of 12 cup bells on
the upper two rows were the gift of Squire William Fortrey of Kings Norton-by-Galby,
presented to the ringers on the occasion of the ringing of 10,260
changes of Grandsire Caters in 1778.

The bells came into the possession of E H Lewis in the mid 20th Century
through his brother-in-law, the Rev HST Richardson. It was the intention of
them both that the bells should go back to St Mary’s Church Nottingham,
where they could be sure they would be kept in the tower. Mr Lewis considering
that this could now be done, returned the bells. They are placed in a glass
fronted cupboard, in which there is a plate engraved:

These bells once belonging to Lawyer William Doubleday Crofts and this
cupboard were given by Edwin H. Lewis in memory of his brother-in-law
Harold S.T. Richardson, Priest and bell ringer.

In 1994 the modern set of 14 bells were donated by Joyce Bode, a St Mary’s
ringer, in her will. These bells were made by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry
in London.

The hand bells were rung at the entrance to the church in 1992 during the
installation of the sound insulation.